Cold, but Bright Day

 Jan 29 is Chinese New Year.  This year is the year of Snake🐍.  Do you know which zodiac you belong?

One day at the nearby wetland, many Red-wing Blackbirds flew into a bare tree as I walked along the trail.  A tree of birds on a sunny day.

"We like to fly around in a flock."😎

"Not me,  I wait for a fish, standing alone quietly."👍

"We stay at the far end of a pond away from the wind."🦢🦢🦢

The Wetland Scene in June

 At the wetland nearby, Song Sparrows are very friendly.

"I see you often."😍👍

"I like to catch a fish early in the morning."👀

"I like to find some bugs inside the reed."😉

"I like eating the dry seeds here."👍

Spring Scene

 Most of the waterfowl already left the nearby wetland for north.

Tundra Swans: "We are about to leave after a good rest here."😊🦢

Cackling Goose:  "We will take off soon, too."😊🪿

Redwing Blackbird:  "I am singing spring songs when you come here."😍🦜

Early Morning Wetland

 We went to the wetland around 7:00am.  Many Redwing  Blackbirds were waking up, moving to another feeding spot.

A Bald Eagle was on the way to a hunting spot early in the morning.

"I am hungry."

Down below where the sun begins to hit, a Great Blue Heron was staring the water.

"I saw a fish moving down there."

The Wetland Scene

The weather is still warm during the day.  When we stopped over at the wetland, a Rock Pigeon was on the wooden bridge.  It seemed that he/she is used to see people around and let me take his/her photos as I walked by.

"I am not afraid of people.  They are my friends here."

Red-winged Blackbirds are still abundant here.  

"We don't move till the weather gets very cold here."

American White Pelicans were still here, but I know they can take off any day now.

"We will be heading to the south pretty soon."

Day is Longer

On a clear day last week I went to the wetland.  No road was flooded, thank goodness.  The bright sunrise in the morning.

Not many waterfowls.  They might have left here since the spring is near.

February 12th is lunar Chinese New Year called "Spring Festival."

"Uum, we can smell the spring."

"It is almost spring.  I can eat these new buds."

"I am a young Red-tailed Hawk, and  I 

can feel the daytime is getting longer."

 

Back at the Wetland

 Now the summer heat is gone and the fall weather is in.

Last week we stopped over at the wetland after a month.   As soon as we arrived,  I spotted a hawk up on the tall evergreen.  He often perches there at the entry to the wetland.

"You already saw me!"

As I anticipated, all the summer birds are already gone.  The quiet trails...

"We are still here," answered a female Redwing Blackbird.

Spring Is Coming

This Saturday the Chinese celebrate their New Year (arrival of spring by lunar calendar).  It is the Year of the Rooster.   

The birds seem to know the tough part of the winter season is over.  At the nearby wetland I could feel the commotions of the bird activities.

A Lincoln's Sparrow greeted me at the entrance.

The Trumpeter Swans were resting at a far away pond. 

The Red-wing Blackbirds were yodeling already.

The majestic Red-tailed Hawk was observing all over the pond.

At a Nearby Wetland

Today was nice and sunny.  Birds have been gone to the fields where they can find more bugs and flowers.  So we decided to go out there ourselves to see what's going on.

The wetland near our place has been under renovation.  After half a year of digging, bulldozing, etc., finally the land is halfway fixed to welcome the spring migrant birds.  We were so relieved to find the wetland now has sufficient water for the migrant birds to rest, drink and eat some bugs/worms.  We saw several summer birds already arrived.

Tree Swallows are flying acrobatically everywhere and have been using the nest boxes which have been set up for them along a trail.

"I've been hungry."

A pretty song was heard as we entered the wetland.  Sure enough, it was a Red-wing Blackbird,

" I just returned."

I saw a male Rufous Hummingbird dancing on the top of budding leaves.

"Busy eating my bug breakfast!"

Yes.  The bugs are floating in the air in a bunch.  It was like their bumping at my eyeglasses as I walked around the reservoir.

Fresh Seeds Now Available at the Wetland

Back to last week's wetland scenes...

Early in the morning, birds are busy at their breakfast table.  A male Redwing Blackbird is found yodelling a pretty song.

Next to the reservoir, a female Redwing Blackbird was munching on weed seeds.

American Goldfinches are crazy about thistle seeds, just fresh on the stalk.

"Um, um, good...."

Fine Singers

Our neighbor's tall maple tree was cut down to 2/5 the height due to the middle trunk being blown down by the wind storm a month earlier.  Many birds lost a place to hang out where they could perch in the shade before coming down to my backyard.  Maybe, that's why not many birds come over lately?  Or they are just busy out in the fields. 

Whichever it is, today early in the morning we went out to the wetland nearby instead of waiting for them to show up at our place.


We found one busy singer.  Do you know who?  Someone with a grey eyebrow who loves to sing.

"It's me, a Song Sparrow."

And there was another singer nearby.  

"I am a Redwing Blackbird."

A female Redwing Blackbird was nearby watching.

Early in the morning it's fun to have a walk watching and listening to the bird songs.

Summer Arrival

Right before the Memorial Day Weekend, a sudden thunder/hail/rain storm arrived here in the evening.

These hails beat up my flowers and young veggie plants.

 Luckily, some irises are underneath the patio, staying away from the beating.

After about 30 minutes of torrential downpour rain, the sky cleared and a rainbow showed up.  What a change!  Soon birdies came back to finish up their supper before going to bed at night.



After the weekend, I revisited another wetland nearby to check on my bird friends.
Early in the morning out in the field, a Red-winged Blackbird, busy calling, spotted me.

"Hey, I didn't see you for a long time.  What's up these days?"


Underneath the fir branches, a Spotted Towhee was busy looking for bugs.

"Today is getting warm.  I am glad that terrible hail storm is gone.  That day, I hid under a bush and hoped no thunder would strike a nearby tree." 

Summer is slowly arriving.  The camp grounds up in the mountain are still closed due to below normal temperature.  Yet, the thunder storm is a true indication of the summer arrival.